Rail clamping chair



J. c. WOLFF ET AL RAIL CLAMPING CHAIR Dec. 15, 1931.

3 Sheets-Sheet Filiaueb. 10, 1931 Dec. 15 1931. J. C; WGLFF ET L 1,836,299

RAiL.CLAMPING CHAIR Filedfb. 10. 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 2 gwntms Dec. 15, 1931. J. c. WOLFF ET AL RAIL CLAMPING CHAIR I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 10, 1931 Patented Dec. ,15, 1931 UNI ED-STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 JOHN C. WOLFE AND FRED POKALL, OF FORBES, NORTH DAKOTA RAIL CLAMPING CHAIR Application filed February 10, 1931. Serial No. 514,818.

This invention relates to rail chairs for railroad rails and the general object otthe invention isto provide a-chair which is so constructedas to hold the rail to'the chair without the necessity of driving-spikes tothe tie.

A furtherobject of this invent-ion is to pro vide *a chair of this Character which is so constructed that the rail can be removed without the necessity of pulling spikes from the ties, thus very greatly lengthening the life of the tie by preventing the tie from becoming spike killed dueto the withdrawal and redriving of 'spikesand decay of the wood consequent on water collecting in old spike holes. V I

A further object is to provide'a construc tion of this character in which the chair is made in three parts,-which when engaged with eachother, engage over the flange of the rail and prevent'the rail from being-lifted up, the construction beingsuch, however, that the rail may slide longitudinally within the chair to thus permit the rail to expand and contract and further theeonstructionbeing such that upon the longitudinal withdrawal of one of the pieees of the chair, .the second piece may be removed from the main body of the chair and then the railfmay be lifted up on one side'and shifted out of position within the chair. I

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will secure a relatively long bearing ofthe rail on .the tie a much larger bearing than if the'rail resteddirectly on the tie thus preventing the rail from wearing a channel in the tie which it usually does where rails are spiked. directlyto the tie.

Another object is toprovide a construc} tion of this character which will tendto hold the ties parallel to each other.

Other objects will appearin the following description. 7

Our invention is illustrated in panying drawings, whereinp- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a rail and rail chair constructed in accordance'with our invention;

the course ot the ctors Figure 2 is a bottom plan view thereof; Figure 3 is an end elevation of our improved chair, the rail being in section;

:Figure at is a section onthe line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section'on the line 55 of Figure 3; 1 Figure 6 is a top plan view of the chair assembled, but with the rail removed;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the main body of the chair partly in section; Figure '8 is a top plan view of one of the removable chair sections;

Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of the other removable chair section. i

Referring to these 'drawings,.1O dfsignates the main body of the chair which may be made of cast metal, as for instance, cast iron or steel. This chair is formed with a longi tudinally extending channel 11 within which the rail is dis'pose-d, the channel beingdefined on the outside of the rail by an upstanding vertical wall 12 and on the inside of the rail by the vertical wall '13 and the overhanging flange 14;. Qutward of the walls 12and 13,'the ends of the chairare beveled downwar-dand provided withspike openings 15, through which spikes may be driven into the tie to hold the chair firmly upon the tie. Preferably the under face of the chair is grooved, both longitudinally and transversely, in order that it may secure a firmadherence to the tie. The channel 10 is formed adjacent one edge face of the chair with aidepressed portion 16 having an area approximately one quarter of the area of the channel. r At the center of this. depression 16. there is formed a further depressionl? having in actual practice a length of about one .inch and a width of about one-half of an inch, this depression 17 being approximately onequarter inch deep. Obviously these dimensions may be varied.

Goacting with the main body 10 of the chair is a plate 18 having a width at one end approximately equal to half the width of the cannel, so that this end of the plate 18 may fit within the depression 16. This endof the plate isformed with a downwardly extendits ing lug 19 fitting within the depression 17 and, therefore, locking the plate in the depression 16. When so put in place, this plate 18 has its upper face flush with the upper surface of the channel 11. The outer end of the plate is straight and formed at its outer end with the upwardly and inwardly extending flange 20 adapted to overhang the flange of the rail A. The opposite edge of the plate 18 is straight for a portion of its length as at 21 and then is out in slightly at 22 and inclined longitudinally and between the flange 20 as at 23. Extending downward from this inclined edge is a longitudinal lug 24. This lug tapers toward its outer end.

Disposed to fit against the plate 18 is a plate 25 having a width at its inner end equal to half the width of the channel 10. The outer edge of this plate is formed with the overhanging flange 26 which engages over the flange of the rail and this flange is, of course, parallel to the length of the rail. The inner edge of the plate 25, however, is inclined at 27, this inclination being the same as the inclination of the lug 24 and of the edge 23 of plate 18.

Extending downward from this inclined edge 27 is a vertical wall 28 having an inclination corresponding to the inclination of the edge 27, and this wall 28, together with an opposing parallel wall 29 declines a slot or groove 30. Below the bottom of this slot or groove, the metal is extended downward as at 31 to a considerable distance. This downwardly extending head 31 is adapted to fit at its end against the side face of a tie. The under face of the plate 25 is formed with a longitudinally extending lug 32 which projects beyond the inner edge of the plate and constitutes a tenon adapted to enter a mortise 33 in the side edge face of the chair body 10.

In the use of this chair, the body of the chair is spiked to the tie by any of the standard spikes and when it is desired to place the rail on the chair, the plate. 18 is put in place. The rail may then be slipped laterally into position until its inner flange is under the overhanging flanges 14 and 20 and then the edge of the opposite flange at the outer side of the rail will drop down into the channel 10 and abut against the wall 12. Then in order to lock the rail in place, the member 25 is slid longitudinally, the lug 24 on plate 18 fitting within the groove 30 with the flange 26 overhanging the outer flange of the rail. When the plate or member 25 has been forced fully home, the tenon 32 will enter the mortise 33, thus locking the member 25 to the main body of the chair. The lug 24 and slot 30 are not entirely vertical but inclined to the vertical so that it is impossible to draw upward on the rail and thus pull up the mem ber 25. When it is desired to remove the rail, it is only necessary to slide the member 25 off of the rail and out of its engagement with the lug 24.

This frees one edge of the rail which may then be pulled up until the flange is above the wall 12 when the rail may be readily lifted laterally and then upward until completely detached.

It is to be particularly noted and it is one of the features of our invention that the recess l7 and the lug 19 are disposed on a vertical slant so that the lug 19 may be said to be undercut on one edge face and the solid undercut on the like edge face. In actual practice the overhanging flange 14 is disposed on the inside of the rail, that is, between the rails. The flange on the car wheel in traveling on the inside of the rails has a tendency to push the top of the rail outward. In doing this, it may have a tendency to lift the rail on the inside edge, but by rea son of the interlock caused by the slanting faces of the recess 19 and the lug 17, the recess and lug will interlock to overcome this tendency and prevent the inside of the rail from rising. This assists the flange 14, therefore, from resisting this lifting up tendency.

By reason of the fact that the lug 24 is inclined away from the flange 26 or member 25, it hasa tendency to force the member 25 laterally when the member 25 is being slid off. As a consequence, this member 25 will not work off accidentally but must be driven off and driven on. The lug 24 is tapered for the purpose of permitting the plate 25 to be more easily driven in place. This longitudinal inclination of the lug 24 and the slot 30 impedes the longitudinal movement of the plate 25.

A downward extension 31 is provided to atford a solid portion on which to hammer or drive the part 25 into position. This must be done under the rail and by having this extension, it is much easier to drive the part 25 under the rail than it otherwise would be. This downwardly extending lug 24 furthermore abuts against the tie and thus aids in holding the tie straight. Furthermore by providing this extension, it is possible to drive a wedge or pinch bar between the eX- tension 31 and the tie to remove the portion 25. The part 18 is formed as a separate piece and not integral with or cast on the main body 10 because if it were cast on the main body 10, it would be necessary to slide the rail into position under the flange 20 after 10 had been spiked to the rail and in case of a derailment of the wheels of the car, either the flange 20 or the flange 26 would be very likely to be broken off. If the part 18 were cast in one piece with the part 10, and either of the flanges 20 or 26 were broken ofl, it would. then be necessary to replace the whole part 10 whereas if they are cast in two pieces, the part 18 is readily replaced and the part 10 can be used over again. By the use of this the body possible to usereinforced concrete ties and the main chair 10 may be bolted on the concrete tie by means of ordinary round bolts. These should be used in place of spikes and because the openings 15 would then be circular instead of square.

We claim l. A rail chair of the character described, comprising a body having a rail channel defined on one side by a vertical Wall and on the other side by an overhanging wall, a rail locking plate operatively engageable with upon longitudinal movement in one direction and having an overhanging flange diagonally opposed to the overhanging flange on the body.

2. A rail chair of comprising a body having a longitudinally extending channel, the channel being. defined on one side by a vertical wall and on the other side by an overhanging Wall, a plate having detachable interlocking engagement with the body, the upper surface of theplate forming a continuation of the upper surface of the body and the plate extending longitudinally outward from one side face of the chair, said plate having an overhanging device, it would be flange constituting a continuation of the flange on the body and a second plate complementary to the first named plate and having an overhanging flange opposed to the overhanging flange on the first named overhanging plate, the second named plate having interlocking sliding engagement with the first named plate and having a vertical member interlocking with the body when the second named plate has been'shifted longitudinally against the body. i r

3. A rail chair comprisinga body having a longitudinally extending channel defined on one side by a vertical wall and on the other side by an overhanging wall, the upper face of the channel being recessed at one corner of the chair, the recess opening upon the side face of the body, there being a consequent deeper recess extending downward from the bottom of the first named recess, a

plate having one end adapted to fit in said first-named recess and having a lug on its under face fitting within the second-named recess, said plate having its side edge adjacent its outer end formed with an overhanging flange constituting a continuation of the overhanging flange on the body, the opposite edge of said plate at its outer end being longitudinally inclined and formed with a depending longitudinally extending inclined lug, and the second plate adapted to fit beneath the rail and opposing that portion of the first named plate projecting beyond the body, the second named plate having on its outer edge an overhanging flange, the inner edge of the second-named plate being inclined complementary to the inclination of the second named plate and being formed -face of'the body having which said'tenon may engage.

;ment with the body,the

the character described,

fined H V the other side by an overhanglng flange, and

.a pair ofsepa'ra'te complementary plates, each plate having grooveadapted .toreceive the inclined lug jot-the first named -plate, the second named plate havinga projecting tenon and the side 4;. A rail chaircompris nga bodyhaving longitudinally; extending, rail channel defined onone side by avertical flange and on theotherslde by an overhanging flange, and

a .mortisewithin a pluralityof separate complementary plates,

each having a rail engaging overhanging flange, one plate having interlocking engageotherplate having sliding interlocking engagement with'the firstmamedplate. i -1 5. A rail chair comprising a bodyhaving a longitudinally extending rail 1 channel de- .;fined on one'side by a vertical flange and .on the other side byan over-hanging flange,

a pair .of separate complementary plates, 2 each having a rail engaging, overhanging flange, these flanges being adapted when the .p-atesare position to 'aline with the wall and flange'of thegbod-y tlie body on its upper face having a recessand one ofsaid plates having a l ug engaging 'andinterl'ocking with said recess againstnpward movement, the other plate havingfsliding engagement with thefirst'named plate; U y A railehairicomprising a body having a longtiudinally extending rail channel de- .on one sic e byavertical flange and on having a rail enga in oye hanging fian e, an nee 1: the body in one side being 1 cand saidrecess having a longitudinally ex tending recess in its bottom theplatefittlng a lu second named recess, fihe lug and second .namedf recess: having interlocking engagement, said plate on its lower face having a longitudinally extending depending elonga depending portion formed with a recess slidingly engaging said lug, said last named body having a recess to receive said tenon.

7 A railcha-ir comprising a body having fined on one side by a vertical flange and on the other side by an overhanging flange, said end of the body being recessed, the recess ext-ending beneath the flange, the bottom of recess, a plate, one end of which is disposable in said first-named recess, the bottom of the named recess and having interlocking engagement therewith against upward movecessed toreceivea portion of oneof said plates said recess having extendingiintothe ment with each other against upward moveated lug, the other plate on one edge having a tenon and the end face of the a longtiudinally extending rail channel debody adjacent the overhanging flange at one the recess having a transversely extending plate having a lug enga-ging'in the second ment, said plate having on one side an overhanging flange adapted when the plate is in place to aline with the overhanging flange on the body, said plate on its under face and along the edge opposite from said flange being formed with a longitudinally extending slightly inclined lug, a second plate adapted to be disposed against the end of the body and having at one edge on overhanging flange adapted to aline with the vertical flange of the body, the inner edge of the plate having a depending portion longitudinally curved to have sliding engagement with the depending lug on the other plate, said depending portion forming a driving head for the last named plate.

8. A rail chair comprisinga body having a longitudinally extending rail channel defined on one side by a vertical flange and on the other side by an overhanging flange, a plate forming an extension of the body on that side of the body having a vertical flange, said plate having an overhanging flange alining with the vertical flange of the body, and means detachably engageable with the body for locking the plate in place.

9. A rail chair comprising a body having a longitudinally extending rail channel defined on one side by a vertical wall and on the other side by an overhanging flange, a plate having interlocking detachable engagement with the body and when in place projecting from one end'thereof and having its upper face flush with the bottom of the channel, said plate having an overhanging flange along one edge, and a second plate having sliding engagement with the first plate and on its outer end having an overhanging flange alining with the vertical wall of the body when the second named plate is in place.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afliX our signatures.

JOHN G. WOLFF. FRED POKALL. 

